The New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Picture Books of 2022

Every year since 1952 the New York Times has put together a panel of judges to look at all the illustrated children's books to celebrate the ten best. This year, in conjunction with the New York Public Library, the judges were were children's book author Emily Jenkins; New York Public Library Children's Librarian Maggie Craig; and illustrator Raúl Colón, who has won this award twice.

The 2022 winners are:

FARMHOUSE

Written and illustrated by Sophie Blackall

YELLOW DOG BLUES

Written by Alice Faye Duncan. Illustrated by Chris Raschka

NIGHT LUNCH

Written by Eric Fan. Illustrated by Dena Seiferling

TELLING STORIES WRONG

Written by Gianni Rodari. Illustrated by Beatrice Alemagna. Translated from the Italian by Antony Shugaar

BEDTIME FOR BO

Written by Kjersti Annesdatter Skomsvold. Illustrated by Mari Kanstad Johnsen. Translated from the Norwegian by Kari Dickson

THE UPSIDE DOWN HAT

Written by Stephen Barr. Illustrated by Gracey Zhang

THE NEW ROOSTER

Written and illustrated by Rilla Alexander

THE WRITER

Written by Davide Cali. Illustrated by Monica Barengo

WHERE BUTTERFLIES FILL THE SKY

Written and illustrated by Zahra Marwan

STILL THIS LOVE GOES ON

Written by Buffy Sainte-Marie. Illustrated by Julie Flett

See more images from the winning titles here in the New York Times announcement.

Congratulations to all the winners - it certainly makes a great reading list for those of us who create illustrated works for children!

Illustrate, Translate, and Write On,
Lee

The Impact of a New York Times Nonfiction Bestsellers List for Children's Books - and How You Can Support the Idea

Screen shot of the opening paragraphs of the letter to the New York Times asking for children's nonfiction bestseller lists.

On February 14, 2022, as part of the #KidsLoveNonfiction campaign, Mary Ann Cappiello, Professor of Language and Literacy at Lesley University and Xenia Hadjioannou, Associate Professor of Language and Literacy Education at the Harrisburg campus of Penn State University, sent a letter to The New York Times requesting that the paper add three children’s nonfiction bestseller lists to parallel the existing picture book, middle grade, and young adult lists, which focus on fiction. The letter was also shared on more than 20 blogs that serve the literacy and children's literature communities. (I learned about it from nonfiction powerhouse author Melissa Stewart.)

This change will align the children’s lists with the adult bestseller lists, which separate nonfiction and fiction. It will also acknowledge the incredible vibrancy of children’s nonfiction available today and support the substantial body of research showing that many children prefer nonfiction and still others enjoy fiction and nonfiction equally.

The submitted letter included the signatures of more than 500 educators and librarians as well as the institutional signatures of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and the Children’s Literature Assembly of NCTE.

From the letter:

Adding children’s nonfiction best-seller lists would:

• Help family members, caregivers, and educators identify worthy nonfiction titles.

• Provide a resource for bibliophiles—including book-loving children—of materials that satisfy their curiosity.

• Influence publishers’ decision-making.

• Inform the public about innovative ways to convey information and ideas through words and images.

• Inspire schools and public libraries to showcase nonfiction, broadening its appeal and deepening respect for truth.

The letter is now available as a petition for individuals – including those of us who create (write, illustrate, translate) and work in and with children's literature (agents, editors, booksellers, librarians) – to sign to show our support.

Here's the link to read the full letter.

And here's the link to add your name in support of the idea of the New York Times having children's nonfiction bestseller lists.

Illustrate, Translate, and Write On,
Lee

Illustration Inspiration - The 2021 New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books

Screen shot of the New York Times article, "The 2021 New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Books" showing an interior spread from one of the ten winners, "I Am the Subway," written and illustrated by Kim Hyo-eun.

Since 1952, the New York Times has pulled together a rotating panel of three experts to look at EVERY illustrated book for kids published in the USA for that year. This year's judges, children's literature critic Catherine Hong; New York Public Library youth collections librarian Jessica Agudelo; and Caldecott medalist Paul O. Zelinsky (a member of SCBWI's Board of Advisors and a past winner of this honor), chose ten winners ”purely on the basis of artistic merit.”

Announced in the New York Times Book Review on November 12, 2021, The 2021 New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books includes interior images – and there's a bonus article with interviews with the artists and views of them working in their studios!

The ten winning books are:

I Am the Subway
Written and illustrated by Kim Hyo-eun
Translated from the Korean by Deborah Smith

The Night Walk
Written and illustrated by Marie Dorléans

Time Is a Flower
Written and illustrated by Julie Morstad

It Fell From the Sky
Written and illustrated by Terry Fan and Eric Fan

The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess
Written and illustrated by Tom Gauld

¡Vamos! Let’s Cross the Bridge
Written and illustrated by Raúl the Third
Colors by Elaine Bay

While You’re Sleeping
Written by Mick Jackson
Illustrated by John Broadley

Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre
Written by Carole Boston Weatherford
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper

Keeping the City Going
Written and illustrated by Brian Floca

On the Other Side of the Forest
Written by Nadine Robert
Illustrated by Gérard DuBois

Congratulations to the winners, and what inspiration for the rest of us!

Illustrate, Translate, and Write On,
Lee

The New York Times Book Review and the New York Public LIbrary's Top 10 "Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2017"

For the first time, the New York Times Book Review has teamed up with the New York Public Library to present this list.

The Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2017 announcement in Publishers Weekly

The winning titles are:

Feather by Rémi Courgeon (Enchanted Lion)

Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos by Monica Brown, illus. by John Parra (NorthSouth)

King of the Sky by Nicola Davies, illus. by Laura Carlin (Candlewick)

Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters by Michael Mahin, illus. by Evan Turk (S&S/Atheneum)

On a Magical, Do-Nothing Day by Beatrice Alemagna (Harper)

Plume by Isabelle Simler (Eerdmans)

A River by Marc Martin (Chronicle)

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Case of R.B.G. vs. Inequality by Jonah Winter, illus. by Stacy Innerst (Abrams)

Town Is by the Sea by Joanne Schwartz, illus. by Sydney Smith (Groundwood)

The Way Home in the Night by Akiko Miyakoshi (Kids Can)

Congrats to the winners - It's a wonderful reading list for us all! You can click here to see large images from each of the ten titles.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Anatomy of a Scene - a very cool resource for writers and illustrators

The online New York Times has an ongoing feature, Anatomy of a Scene, where film directors walk viewers through a single scene of their movies, "showing the magic, the motives and even some of the mistakes from behind the camera."

Click here to check out Anatomy of a Scene "Selma"

It's fascinating watching, and offers story/writing insights – like how Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the scene with his wife in the movie "Selma," is shown taking out the trash from under the kitchen sink, but not knowing where the new trash bags were kept because he hasn't been home enough to know. As director Ava DuVernay explains, they needed to "find places to humanize him."

Click here to check out Anatomy of a Scene "Cinderella"

And there are illustration/art insights as well – like where director Kenneth Branagh explains that the long-distance camera work in "Cinderella," did two things for them: First, it helped not scare the horses the actors were on, and second, it created a flattened background, giving him "a sort of psychedelic primal backdrop of natural colors" that matched the emotion of the moment when Cinderella and the Prince meet for the first time, before the ball...

There are lots of different movies to watch narrated scenes from, and so many structural underpinnings, story logics, and visual elements to learn. It's a great resource for all of us who tell stories. And maybe even a productive way to procrastinate a bit, too!

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

The New York Times Bestseller List Will Now Separate YA and Middle Grade Titles!

As reported in publisher's lunch, The New York Times will now "...split its children's Chapter book bestseller lists into separate middle grade and young adult lists..."

Here's a screen shot (courtesy of Author John Green's tumbler) of the YA and middle grade lists:

Both lists, including the series bestseller lists, will include ebook sales, while the picture book bestsellers list will continue to report hardcover unit sales only.

This means ten more MG and YA books get to be on the New York Times bestseller list every week, which can only be good for all of us who create MG and YA books!  (And it's good for readers, too - as they get more information about the age category they're interested in.)

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

ALA Award Winners Snubbed by TODAY SHOW in Favor of Snooki. The result? Outrage, Letter Writing & One Cool Contest!

For the first time in 11 years, the TODAY SHOW did not interivew the Newbery and Caldecott winners (Clare Vanderpool and Erin Stead) after the awards were announceed. It seems they felt viewers would be better served hearing from a castmember of JERSEY SHORE. Here's a bit from PW's coverage of the story:

With the national television news outlets providing wall-to-wall media coverage since Saturday of the tragedy in Tucson, it’s not surprising that two children’s book award winners would be overlooked during a week of breaking news. But, to some who tuned into the Today Show on Tuesday morning expecting to see the Newbery and Caldecott Medalists, insult seemed added to injury. The program did indeed take a break from its coverage of the shootings during the second hour to interview an author. But it was an author who's not likely to win a prestigious literary award any time soon: Nicole Polizzi, better known to the world as Snooki, the Jersey Shore star more famous for her trash talk and wild partying rather than her literary chops.

Librarian/blogger Betsy Bird and author Jame Kennedy are making lemonade out of this TODAY SHOW lemon. They've kicked off a video contest called 90-SECOND NEWBERY which challenges any creative lover of children's literarture to make a video that compresses the story of a Newbery award-winning book (Honor books included) into 90 seconds or less.

As an example, here's a video of Madeleine L'Engle's 1963 Newbery winner, A WRINKLE IN TIME, amusingly abbreviated into 90 seconds.


"A Wrinkle In Time" In 90 Seconds from James Kennedy on Vimeo.

Betsy and James also have plans underway for a star-studded 90-SECOND NEWBERY Film Festival at the New York Public Library in Fall of 2011. So get out your Flip and condense an award winner! And spread the word!


SCBWI HQ is all abuzz about the snub as well. Says Executive Director Lin Oliver, "I can’t believe we have to continue to fight for recognition of what we contribute to society. Jeez Louise." Indeed!

Never an organization to sit back quietly, SCBWI decided to say a few words to TODAY SHOW producers via the letter below. They drafted similar letters sent off to the LA TIMES and the NEW YORK TIMES.

Jim Bell, Executive Producer, Today Show
Noah Kotch, Senior Producer, Today Show
379 E-1, 30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112

Dear Mr. Bell and Mr. Kotch:

I am the Executive Director of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, a non-profit international organization of 24,000 professional children’s book writers, illustrators, publishers, editors and agents. We are, if you will, the equivalent of the Writers Guild for children’s book authors and illustrators. On behalf of all our members, I have to express dismay at your decision this week not to run the traditional interviews with the winners of the Newbery and Caldecott Medals. The books that are granted these prestigious awards represent the best of what we have to offer children---great storytelling, strong values, a legacy of literature and hope and high-minded ideals. What you elected to run in that spot, an interview with reality star Snooki, represents the exact opposite.

Of course, we understand the need to attract audiences and maintain ratings, but we feel broadcasting should also serve the needs of citizens who are looking to inspire their children, to raise up their sights. The exposure that your show has always offered to the best in children’s literature is admirable. Why stop now? In choosing not to run the interviews with Clare Vanderpool and Erin Stead, we feel that you underestimated the intelligence of your audience. Parents are dying to get their hands on good books for their kids. Booksellers are eager to sell and promote good books for kids. In fact, the children’s book segment of publishing is the only sector that has not declined during the recession. It’s good business, good broadcasting and good ethics to use some of your program time to honor the best books for children.

On behalf of our industry, we sincerely hope you can find a way to remedy your decision. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Lin Oliver
Executive Director, SCBWI

Stephen Mooser
President, SCBWI

We'll keep you posted as to what (if any) response is recieved from these media outlets.

In the meantime, let us know what you think about the TODAY SHOW's lack of coverage. Leave a comment.

Wednesday Tweet Roundup

It's humpday which means it's time for me to share some of my favorite tweets of the last week from the many writers, illustrators, editors, agents, and publishers who are out there sharing information and joining in the conversation on Twitter.

Click on the Twitter handles (@name) to find each tweeter's page should you wish to follow them or read more of what they're saying. Follow the included links to read the articles or blog posts these tweeters recommend.

Remember--whether you're signed up with Twitter or not, you can read tweets and click links to find helpful blog posts, useful articles, and timely news bits (like the ones below).

This week's picks and links are heavy on blog posts reacting to the New York Times piece forecasting the doom of the picture book, along with usual tips from agents, practical and crafty tweets, National Book Award winners, and more.


WHATSCHOUTALKINBOUT NEW YORK TIMES TWEETS

@K_Dad Tom Lewis Do parents really deprive their kids of picture books? A defense of them at The New Republic http://t.co/Af27nYo

@asuen1 NY Times missing the point and why indies do rock picture book selling #kidlit http://ow.ly/2Rmw5

@MotherReader It turns out I'm still annoyed about the picture book article: http://ow.ly/2Srat

@RIFWEB: What I DID find to discuss in the New York Times article… http://bit.ly/cCOWDg

@kathytemean Thoughts From An Aspiring Picture Book Author: http://wp.me/pss2W-1Q5

@inkyelbows Another rebuttal to NYTimes article: @BlogHer highlights kidlit authors/illustrators - http://bit.ly/986O0s

MORE PICTURE BOOKS TWEETS

@taralazar Write What You Know, But WHAT Do You Know? Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen reveals the truth behind picture books: http://wp.me/p7jVE-zn #kidlit

@nyplkids What's your favorite picture book? ....NYPL's 100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know http://ow.ly/2SxZi #kids #kidlit

@FranSlayton European countries have created 2010 stamps of favorite children's books. UK's Pooh released today! http://bit.ly/cvd4Cm

@HappyHealthyHip The Importance of Picture Books http://bit.ly/9QGkAi

NBA TWEET

@gregpincus The National Book Award finalists (including for Young People's Literature) have been announced: http://lat.ms/cpMJm6

FOR YA WRITERS TWEETS

@Kid_Lit It gets heated on the blog today, we're talking about sex in YA http://ow.ly/2SLZp

@ingridsundberg How to create adolescent characters. Tips from author Rachel Vail: http://tinyurl.com/29n4req

@maybegenius Interested in literary journals for the YA market? Here's a list of YA & MG lit mags! http://ow.ly/2RGfy

@winterhansen Guide to Literary Agents - 5 Rules for Writing YA http://t.co/hQDXAn5 via @AddThis

PRACTICAL TWEETS

@ingridsundberg: I love this article on character creation from the inside out: http://tinyurl.com/29n4req

@QueryTracker Cobwebs Got Your Story? Here's how to clear them out: http://bit.ly/ax2x9B

@ColleenLindsay excellent advice on use & misuse of dialogue tags from Help! I Need a Publisher! blog http://bit.ly/9tkI5T (she opined)

@thecreativepenn 7 reasons you should read your book out loud http://dld.bz/yRFB

FAIRY TALE TWEETS

@CynLeitichSmith Gail Carson Levine on Outrage, Fairy Tales & Betsy Red Hoodie (@HarperChildrens): http://bit.ly/dAgdFj

@BostonBookGirl So many fairies in my slush today! It isn't you, it is me-- I am just not really a fairy person (and I dislike faeries more).

 
OHIO (where I live!) EVENT TWEET

@Kid_Lit Wrap-up of my SCBWI Central Ohio visit! http://ow.ly/2RECx

TIPS FROM AGENTS TWEETS

@RachelleGardner A most important post for writers! Great Product is the new Marketing by @MichaelHyatt. http://bit.ly/cyyRyG

@SarahGreenhouse My best work tip: What is the thing that makes you most anxious? Identify it - and do it immediately. Then the day can only get better!

@curiousmartha Esp since can't copyright titles! RT @ElanaRoth Guys, don't copyright your title & then put the little (c) next to it every single time.

@ElanaRoth Also, if you're an illustrator and refuse to have an online portfolio for fear of theft, you're in your own way. Watermark images instead.

MANDATORY TWEET ABOUT PUBLISHING CONTAINING  THE WORD 'DOOM'

@hbcolmenares Social Media And The Book Publishing Industry ? Doom Or Salvation? http://bit.ly/b2kBoT

PRESIDENTIAL BOOK TOSS TWEET

@ShelfAwareness Someone (possibly a naked someone) threw a book at President Obama. Quick, name that book! http://is.gd/fXgmW

Celebrating Former SCBWI Staffer Sam Wasson's Publishing Success

Those of you who've attended SCBWI Annual Conferences in the past probably remember the smiling face (and bow ties!) of Sam Wasson, who has been pitching in around SCBWI headquarters since he was a teenager. Here's a photo of Sammy helping SCBWI's Director of Special Projects Kim Turrisi facilitate manuscript & portfolio critiques at last year's summer conference in Los Angeles.

We are all very proud that Sammy, a child of SCBWI, is enjoying healthy sales and rave reviews for his latest book FIFTH AVENUE, 5 A.M.: AUDREY HEPBURN, BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S, AND THE DAWN OF THE MODERN WOMAN. We know it's not a kid's book, but Sammy has worked tirelessly to make the SCBWI a success in the past, so we're excited to tell you about HIS success.

Click here to learn more about the book (and buy a copy!)

And click here to read a great piece about Sammy and FIFTH AVENUE which appeared recently in the NEW YORK TIMES.